The Best New Beauty Products For January 2012

January's Must-Have Beauty Items

Happy New Year! The days may be short right now, but just remember that it also means the nights are nice and long, with plenty of time to be out on the town. January's best beauty products are designed to make the first month of 2012 as bright and beautiful as possible, whether you need a dry skin solution, a hair fix, or just something that smells terrific to brighten up your day.

For days when washing is out of the question, Whigs (and even Tories) deserve this Royal Apothic Parliamentary Hair Powder ($24). It smells all special and British, the packaging is great, and it's the perfect size for hiding in your purse for late mornings and morning afters, too.

— Miriam Lacey, associate editor

A Touch of Magic

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Solid perfume's cleverness is often marred by very basic, sometimes waxy scents. Not so with the new collaboration between urban boutique Stussy and indie fragrance line A Treatise On White Magic. Their two gorgeously scented and unfailingly sophisticated perfume balms ($36 each) possess the complexity of a spray fragrance in perfectly portable little "coins."

— ML

Enter the Dragon

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2012 is the Year of the Dragon, so of course Lush has come out with the cutest celebratory bath product possible. Its new Red Dragon soap ($8 online) smells just like its original (and still my favorite) orange-patchouli fragrance, Karma, with the addition of some majorly fun gold shimmer.

— ML

Oil Change

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It's time to get an oil change, as in changing your mind about putting oil on your face. Éminence's long-lasting Herbal Recovery Oil ($76) is made with calming clary sage oil and balancing ylang ylang, leaving skin smooth and hydrated, but not greasy.

— Jaime Richards, associate editor

Gold Rush

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Estée Lauder's just-released, limited-edition Pure Color Gloss in Citron Kiss ($23) has made me a gold lip gloss convert. Use the shimmery yellow shade over red lipstick to soften, or over your daytime lip color for a gorgeous warm glow that's definitely more chic than chintzy.

— JR

Putting the Pow! in Powder

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Redken's new Redken Powder Grip 03 ($15) is a product multitasker at its best. Use this amazing transformer on the roots to degreasify, on the ends for body and texture, and preupdo to give your strands grip and hold.

— JR

Circular Logic

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If you have serious purple under-eye circles, Rain Undercover Concealer ($18) is your new best friend. The creamy, highly pigmented formula glides on smoothly, ready to cover up even the biggest cases of panda eye.

— Annie Tomlin, senior editor

Lip Love

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Clinique's Almost Lipstick ($15) in Black Honey has a devoted following, and now this sheer, moisturizing lipstick is even sweeter. Seven new sister shades — all with Honey names — add a pretty, natural-looking tint. Perfect for chapped lips that need a little color and TLC.

— AT

Super SPF

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Winter may hide the sun's rays behind clouds, but UVA rays — the ones that contribute to skin aging — are still strong on overcast days. Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream ($30) moisturizes and protects skin without being greasy, making it a smart way to save face this January.

— AT

Salt of the Earth

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Dry, rough, flaky skin stands no chance against Ahava Liquid Dead Sea Salt ($22). It isn't a shower gel as much as it is a spa in a tube. Smooth it on your body, and Dead Sea minerals leave skin softer and more hydrated. It's the next best thing to floating in the sea itself.